SCIWAY News No. 81 – February 2010

In This Issue

SC Picture of the Month – Folly Beach Fishing Pier

The Edwin S. Taylor Fishing Pier on Folly Beach was built in 1995 and extends 1,045 feet into the ocean. It culminates in a 7,500 square-foot covered platform that affords an amazing view of sea and sky.

Folly was home to two piers before this one. Like today's pier, they also served as social centers for the island. The first pier was built in 1931, along with a pavilion, boardwalk, and the Oceanfront Hotel. In those days, you could catch an afternoon or evening concert featuring such big-band giants as Glenn Miller, Guy Lombardo, and Tommy Dorsey. It was also the scene of several beauty contests, one of which was judged by the legendary George Gershwin, who summered on Folly in 1934.

That pier burned in 1957 but a new one soon replaced it – surrounded by a 1,700-foot boardwalk and a modern hotel. Called "Oceanfront Plaza," the area also featured a skating rink, a bowling alley, and a small amusement park complete with a Ferris wheel, a roller coaster, and a merry-go-round.

Like its predecessor, the new pier attracted plenty of famous musicians, including The Tams, The Temptations, Maurice Williams and The Zodiacs, The Catalinas, Doug Clark and The Hot Nuts, Jerry Lee Lewis, and even the inimitable Otis Redding. Throughout the '60s and '70s, young people flocked to the pier to dance the night away. Its giant windows offered wonderful breezes, and you could catch your breath, talk to friends, or share a drink with your date while staring out over the ocean.

Sadly, the pier burned again in 1977 and there were rumors of arson. Folly did not have a pier for the next 18 years.

In an entirely different vein, the current pier revolves around fishing. At 25 feet wide, it stands 23 feet above sea level. At the foot of the pier, you can also find a sit-down restaurant, an upscale gift shop, rod and tackle rentals and sales, a lower patio space available for rent, beach access, and showers.

The Charleston County Park & Recreation Department hosts monthly fishing tournaments June through September, and the Big Kahuna tournament is held in August each year. In a nod to Folly's past, it also hosts Moonlight Mixers once or twice a month during the summer.

Breweries from around the world will be bring their tastiest, rarest, and all-around best beers for an afternoon of tastings. Live music and local food complete the event. This is a don't miss event for all craft beer fans. It will be held at the Navy Yard at Noisette and is sponsored by COAST Brewing and the Charleston Beer Exchange. The official "place to stay" is the North Charleston Aloft Hotel. Click here for great pictures of North Charleston.

You are welcome to distribute complete, unaltered copies of this issue to anyone in any format ... or to include parts of it in printed publications. But please indicate the source (SCIWAY News, February 2010) and include our web address (www.SCIWAY.net). Thanks!